He found him in a worse condition than usual. His last drug or combination of drugs had not agreed with him; or he had taken too much, with correspondent reaction: he was in a vile temper. Donal told him he had been to the house, and had found the papers, but had not brought them—had, in fact, forgotten them.
“A pretty fellow you are!” cried the earl. “What, you left those papers lying about where any rascal may find them and play the deuce with them!”
Donal assured him they were perfectly safe, under the same locks and keys as before.
“You are always going about the bush!” cried the earl. “You never come to the point! How the devil was it you locked them up again?—To go prying all over the house, I suppose!”
Donal told him as much of the story as he would hear. Almost immediately he saw whither it tended, he began to abuse him for meddling with things he had nothing to do with. What right had he to interfere with lord Forgue’s pleasures! Things of the sort were to be regarded as non-existent! The linen had to be washed, but it was not done in the great court! Lord Forgue was a youth of position: why should he be balked of his fancy! It might be at the expense of society!
Donal took advantage of the first pause to ask whether he should not go back and bring the papers: he would run all the way, he said.
“No, damn you!” answered the earl. “Give me the keys—all the keys—house-keys and all. I should be a fool myself to trust such a fool again!”
As Donal was laying the last key on the table by his lordship’s bedside, Simmons appeared, saying lord Forgue desired to know if his father would see him.
“Oh, yes! send him up!” cried the earl in a fury. “All the devils in hell at once!”
His lordship’s rages came up from abysses of misery no man knew but himself.